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A.IV3 

,r  J H-S  & 


THE 


CONFIDENTIAL  LETTERS 

FROM 

THOMAS  JEFFERSON 

T O 

WILLIAM  WIRT. 

BEING 

REMINISCENCES 

OF 

PATRICK  HENRY. 


Now  for  the  first  time  printed  in 
full  from  the  originals, 


In  the  collection 
John  Gribbel  of 


belongino  to 

Philadelphia 


PH  I LADELPH  1A 
Privately  Printed 
19  12 


Of  this  work  there  has  been  printed  for  private  distribution  only , 
5 copies  on  pure  Vellum , and  JO  copies  on  Whatman  Paper . 


INTRODUCTION. 


These  letters  first  appeared  in  the  Magazine  issued  by  the 
Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania  for  October,  1910,  and 
are  now  issued  privately  by  the  owner,  Mr.  John  Gribbel, 
being  copied  verbatim , et  literatim  et  punctuatim. 

The  first  letter  quoted  was  written  by  Hon.  Wm.  Wirt,  the 
Biographer  of  Patrick  Henry,  to  Thos.  Jefferson,  and  the  fol- 
lowing letters  quoted,  were  written  by  Thos.  Jefferson  in  a 
confidential  manner  to  the  Hon.  Wm.  Wirt,  complying  with 
the  request  conveyed  in  Wirt’s  letter.  In  ’his  letter  Mr. 
Wirt  promised  that  their  correspondence  should  be  strictly 
confidential,  and  says  : “ I now  give  you  on  my  honor , that  any 
communications  which  you  shall  please  to  confide  to  me,  shall 
be  seen  by  no  eyes  but  my  own  ; and  that  they  shall  be  returned 
to  you  as  soon  as  I have  used  them.  " The  letters  now  printed 
were  for  many  years  in  the  possession  of  a native  of  Virginia, 
who  was  not  aware  of  their  contents. 

This  series  of  Jefferson’s  letters  really  forms  an  outline 
Biography  of  this  Great  Patriot  of  the  Revolution.  In  his  first 
letter  to  Wirt,  Jefferson  says  of  Patrick  Henry,  “ were  I to 
give  his  character , in  general  terms,  it  would  be  of  mixed  aspect,' 
and  in  his  letters  he  carries  out  fully  this  prophecy  ; as  at  the 
very  first  he  says  “ he  was  certainly  the  man  who  gave  the  first 
impulse  to  the  ball  of  the  revolution.  * I think  he  was  the  best 
humored  man  in  society  I almost  ever  knew  and  the  greatest 
orator  that  ever  lived ; he  had  a consummate  knolege  of  the 
human  heart,  which  directing  the  efforts  of  his  eloquence  enabled 
him  to  attain  a degree  of  popularity  with  the  people  at  large 
never  perhaps  equalled,  his  judgment  on  other  matters  was 
inaccurate,  and  in  matters  of  law  it  was  not  worth  a copper  ; he 
was  avaritious  and  rotten  hearted ; his  two  great  passions  were 
the  love  of  money  and  of  fame ; ' but  when  these  came  into 
competition  the  former  predominated." 


H 


Introduction. 


The  casual  reader  has  been  lead  to  believe  that  Patrick 
Henry’s  maiden  effort  was  at  the  time  he  delivered  his  famous 
and  powerful  address  before  the  Virginia  House  of  Burgesse 
on  the  Stamp  Act,  at  which  time  he  made  the  first  actual 
resistance  to  the  tyranny  of  George  III,  but  Mr.  Jefferson 
informs  us  that  he  made  his  first  great  effort  a few  years 
before  when,  as  a member  of  the  Virginia  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives, he  resisted  successfully  a Bill  introduced  in  the 
House  by  Mr.  Robinson,  Treasurer,  for  the  purpose  of  allow- 
ing him  to  loan  the  public  funds  on  good  landed  security.  It 
appears  that  Robinson  had  already  loaned  to  friends  the 
public  monies  to  such  an  extent  that  he  was  on  the  verge  of 
being  detected,  and  introduced  this  bill  with  the  hopes  of 
transferring  su?h  security  he  had  taken  to  the  public  account. 
Henry  resisted  this  scheme  with  all  his  eloquence  and  defeated 
it.  Henry  at  the  time  did  not  know  of  Robinson’s  dishonesty, 
but  foresaw  in  the  bill  the  danger  to  the  public  good.  He 
carried  with  him  all  the  members  of  the  upper  Counties  ; 
and  left  a minority  composed  merely  of  the  Aristocracy  of  the 
country,  who  had  borrowed  the  public  monies  from  Robinson, 
and  Robinson’s  deficit  was  not  discovered  until  he  died,  about 
four  years  later.  This  therefore  was  the  first  manifestation 
of  Mr.  Henry’s  genius,  and  immediately  placed  him  among  the 
foremost  statesmen  of  his  time,  to  be  soon  followed  by 
his  great  peroration  in  the  Virginia  House  of  Burgesse  in 
May,  1765,  when  he  astonished  the  whole  Assembly  with  his 
boldness,  and  by  his  super-human  eloquence  induced  them  to 
denounce  the  enforcement  of  the  Stamp  Act  in  such  language 
as  to  threaten  a separation  if  Great  Britain  still  persisted. 
He  was  opposed  by  all  the  older  members,  such  as  Randolph, 
Bland,  Pendleton,  Wythe  and,  in  fact,  all  members  whose  in- 
fluence in  the  house  had  until  then  been  unbroken,  but 
with  his  eloquent  tongue  he  carried  his  bill  successfully 
over  this  great  opposition  by  a majority  of  one  vote.  At  the 
time  of  its  passage  Mr.  Peyton  Randolph  came  out  of  the 
House  and  said  as  he  entered  the  lobby,  “ by  God,  I would 
have  given  joo  guineas  for  a single  vote”  for  as  this  would 


Introduction. 


iii 

have  divided  the  House,  the  vote  of  Robinson,  the  Speaker, 
would  have  rejected  the  resolution.  Thus  was  Henry’s  repu- 
tation established  according  to  the  words  of  Jefferson  as  being 
“ the  greatest  orator  that  ever  lived;”  and  he  who  “ gave  the 
first  impulse  to  the  ball  of  the  revolution ,”  and  whose  patriotism 
and  pluck  produced  the  second  Patrick  Henry  in  the  person 
of  Samuel  Adams  of  Massachusetts. 

Mr.  Jefferson  then  gives  in  these  letters  a full  account  of 
Patrick  Henry’s  failure  to  draw  up  the  “ Address  to  the  People 
of  Great  Britain  and  a Memorial  to  the  People  of  British 
America,”  which  duty  had  been  assigned  to  him  by  the  Con- 
tinental Congress;  and  says  that  Henry  “ could  not  drazv  a 
bill  on  the  most  simple  subject  which  would  have  stood  legal 
criticism  or  even  the  ordinary  criticism  which  looks  to  correctness 
of  stile  & idea.”  Thus  as  we  peruse  the  letters  we  find  Jeffer- 
son placing  Henry  on  a pinnacle  of  greatness,  and  then  cast- 
ing him  down,  and  again  elevating  him  only  to  denounce  him 
later  on. 

In  the  course  of  this  correspondence  Mr.  Jefferson  reviews 
all  the  principal  acts  in  the  life  of  the  great  orator,  stating  how 
he  started  his  career  with  little  property  and  acting  as  a bar- 
keeper in  the  tavern  at  Hanover  Court  House.  How  he 
afterwards  started  a little  store  and  failed,  and  then  turned 
his  attention  to  legal  practice,  after  reading  law  for  only  six 
weeks.  How  he  limited  his  practice  to  addressing  juries, 
mostly  in  criminal  cases,  for  which  he  received  large  fees. 
His  failure  as  a military  man.  His  career  as  a member  of  the 
Continental  Congress,  and  as  Governor  of  Virginia,  &c. 

He  also  reviews  the  manuscript  of  the  Life  of  Patrick  Henry, 
sent  him  by  Wm.  Wirt,  and  makes  numerous  corrections  and 
interesting  suggestions,  one  of  particular  interest  referring  to 
Mr.  Henry’s  Military  Career,  in  which  he  says : “ Why  bring 
it  into  view  at  all?  Mr.  Henry's  transcendant  eminence  as  an 
Orator  dr  Statesman  and  especially  his  unquestioned  primacy  in 
bringing  on  the  revolution  give  him  a mass  of  fame  sufficient  to 
satisfy  any  ambition,  to  claim  for  him  questionable  merits  detracts 
more  than  it  adds  in  the  estimate  of  his  character.  Demosthenes 


IV 


Introduction. 


like  Henry  was  unquestioned  as  an  Orator  and  Statesman , but 
doubted  as  a soldier." 

That  these  letters  are  an  unique  and  valuable  contribution 
to  the  History  of  the  American  Revolution  will  be  readily 
perceived  by  their  perusal,  and  to  the  generosity  of  the  owner, 
Mr.  John  Gribbel,  of  Philadelphia,  must  the  thanks  of  the 
historical  student  be  given  for  preserving  in  a definite  manner 
their  valuable  contents. 


Stan.  V.  Henkels. 


Wirt’s  letter  to  Thomas  Jefferson,  asking  him  for 

INFORMATION,  AS  TO  THE  CHARACTER  OF  PATRICK 

Henry  and  his  eminent  associates. 

Williamsburg,  July  23,  1805. 

Dr  Sir. 

In  this  intermission  of  your  public  labours,  I hope  there 
may  be  nothing  improper  in  begging  the  aid  of  your  mem- 
ory towards  a little  literary  project  which  I have  on  foot. 
I am  collecting  memoirs  of  the  late  Patrick  Henry.  His 
life  and  example  appear  to  me  to  afford  some  fine  lessons. 
His  faults  as  well  as  virtues  will  be  instructive,  and  I pro- 
pose to  myself  to  be  his  biographer;  not  his  panegyrist.  I 
find  much  difficulty  in  collecting  materials  such  as  will 
enable  me  to  render  this  work  interesting.  The  materials 
which  I collect  are  too  general  and  jejune;  there  is  nothing 
in  them  which  brings  me  near  to  the  character  of  Mr. 
Henry  or  which  will  enable  me  to  bring  my  reader  so. 

After  such  repeated  proofs  of  the  perfidy  and  treachery 
of  man,  as  you  have  experienced,  I am  almost  afraid  to  ask 
or  to  hope  that  you  will  trust  me  with  free  communications 
concerning  Mr.  Henry. 

From  the  very  little  indeed  that  you  know  of  me ; I feel 
considerable  difficulty  in  making  this  request ; but  I know 
that  you  confide,  justly,  in  your  nephews  Peter  & Dabney 
Carr  and  to  them  I am  intimately  known.  If  you  find 
their  report  of  me  such  as  I anticipate,  you  will  believe  the 
assurance  which  I now  give  you  on  my  honor,  that  any  com- 
munications which  you  shall  be  pleased  to  confide  to  me, 
shall  be  seen  by  no  eyes,  but  my  own,  and  that  they  shall 
be  returned  to  you  as  soon  as  I have  used  them.  I am 
peculiarly  anxious  on  this  subject  because  I know,  from  your 
thorough  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Henry,  that  information  so 
minute,  authentic  and  interesting  as  you  could  give  would 
be  alone  sufficient  to  stamp  the  highest  value  on  my  work. 

It  would,  I think,  be  a capital  embellishment  to  the  piece 
to  paint,  at  least  in  the  back  ground,  the  groupe  of  eminent 
men  with  whom  he  acted.  You  knew  them  all,  personally 


2 Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 

and  intimately,  and  would  perhaps  find  it  not  too  trouble- 
some to  favor  me  with  a short  character  of  each  of  them — 
his  competitors  at  the  bar,  in  the  Virginia  house  of  burgesses 
& in  the  old  congress. 

I experience  much  solicitude  in  sending  this  letter  to  you. 
I would  not  for  any  consideration  that  you  should  think  me 
either  presumptuous  or  troublesome.  Let  me  hope  that 
you  will  not  think  me  so.  On  the  contrary,  if  it  be  at  all 
disagreeable  to  you,  either  for  the  want  of  time  or  inclina- 
tion, to  grant  this  request,  I beg  that  you  will  reject  it, 
without  a moment’s  regret.  Such  a circumstance  could 
not,  in  any  degree,  diminish  the  profound  and  increasing 
respect  & esteem,  with  which  I am,  Dear  Sir, 

Yr  du.  Serv. 

Wm.  Wirt. 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 


3 


Thomas  Jefferson’s  letter  to  William  Wirt,  acceeding 

TO  HIS  REQUEST,  TO  FURNISH  ANECDOTES,  AND  A GENERAL 

resume  of  Patrick  Henry’s  public  life,  and  in 

WHICH  HE  PRONOUNCES  HIM  THE  GREATEST 
ORATOR  THAT  EVER  LIVED. 


Monticello  Aug.  4. 


Dear  Sir 

Your  favor  of  July  24.  has  been  duly  received:  and  I 
feel  every  disposition  to  comply  with  your  request  respecting 
mr  Henry:  but  I fear  to  promise  from  a doubt  whether  my 
occupations  would  permit  me  the  time  requisite  to  recollect 
and  commit  to  paper  the  facts  respecting  him  which  were 
within  my  own  knolege;  as  we  had  a very  familiar  inter- 
course for  upwards  of  20  years,  & ran  our  course  nearly 
together,  during  this  our  political  principles  being  the 
same,  we  acted  in  perfect  concert  until  the  year  If 81.  I 
witnessed  the  part  he  bore  in  nearly  all  the  great  questions 
of  that  period,  & perhaps  could  recollect  some  anecdotes 
not  uninteresting,  he  was  certainly  the  man  who  gave  the 
first  impulse  to  the  ball  of  revolution,  were  I to  give 
his  character  in  general  terms,  it  would  be  of  mixed  aspect. 
I think  he  was  the  best  humored  man  in  society  I almost 
ever  knew,  and  the  greatest  orator  that  ever  lived,  he  had 
a consummate  knolege  of  the  human  heart,  which  directing 
the  efforts  of  his  eloquence  enabled  him  to  attain  a degree 
of  popularity  with  the  people  at  large  never  perhaps  equalled, 
his  judgment  in  other  matters  was  inaccurate,  in  matters  of 
law  it  was  not  worth  a copper : he  was  avaritious  & rotten 
hearted,  his  two  great  passions  were  the  love  of  money  & 
of  fame : but  when  these  came  in  competition  the  former 
predominated.  If  the  work  you  propose  is  not  destined  to 
come  out  speedily  I will  endeavor  to  recollect  what  may  be 
of  use  to  it.  be  assured  I want  the  testimony  of  nobody  as 
to  the  honorable  use  you  would  make  of  my  communica- 
tions. Accept  toy  friendly  salutations  & assurances  of  sincere 
esteem  & respect. 

Th:  Jefferson 


Mr  Wert 


4 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 


Thomas  Jefferson’s  Anecdotal  Reminiscences  of 
Patrick  Henry. 

My  acquaintance  with  mr.  Henry  commenced  in  the  win- 
ter of  1759-60.  on  my  way  to  the  college  I passed  the 
Christmas  holidays  at  Col°  Dandridge’s  in  Hanover,  to 
whom  mr  Henry  was  a near  neighbor,  during  the  festivity 
of  the  season  I met  him  in  society  every  day,  and  we  be- 
come well  acquainted,  altho’  I was  much  his  junior,  being 
then  in  my  IT11'  year,  & he  a married  man.  the  spring  fol- 
lowing he  came  to  Williamsburg  to  obtain  a license  as  a 
lawyer,  and  he  called  on  me  at  College,  he  told  me  he 
had  been  reading  law  only  6.  weeks,  two  of  the  examiners 
however,  Peyton  & John  Randolph,  men  of  great  facility  of 
temper,  signed  his  license  with  as  much  reluctance  as  their 
dispositions  would  permit  them  to  shew,  mr  Wythe  abso- 
lutely refused.  Rob.  C.  Nicholas  refused  also  at  first,  but, 
on  repeated  importunities  & promises  of  future  reading,  he 
signed,  these  facts  I had  afterwards  from  the  gentlemen  them- 
selves, the  two  Randolphs  acknoleging  he  was  very  ignorant 
of  law,  but  that  they  perceived  him  to  be  a young  man  of 
genius  & did  not  doubt  he  would  soon  qualify  himself. 

He  was,  some  time  after,  elected  a representative  of  the 
county  of  Hanover,  & brought  himself  into  public  notice  on 
the  following  occasion  which  I think  took  place  in  1762.  or 
a year  sooner  or  later,  the  gentlemen  of  this  country  had 
at  that  time  become  deeply  involved  in  that  state  of  indebt- 
ment  which  has  since  ended  in  so  general  a crush  of  their 
fortunes.  Robinson,  the  Speaker,  was  also  Treasurer,  an 
officer  always  chosen  by  the  assembly,  he  was  an  excellent 
man,  liberal,  friendly,  & rich,  he  had  been  drawn  in  to 
lend,  on  his  own  account,  great  sums  of  money  to  persons 
of  this  description,  & especially  those  who  were  of  the 
assembly.  He  used  freely  for  this  purpose  the  public 
money,  confiding,  for  it’s  replacement,  in  his  own  means,  & 
the  securities  he  had  taken  on  those  loans,  about  this  time 
however  he  became  sensible  that  his  deficit  to  the  public 
was  become  so  enormous  as  that  a discovery  must  soon  take 


Jefferson's  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry.  5 

place,  for  as  yet  the  public  had  no  suspicion  of  it.  he  de- 
vised therefore,  with  his  friends  in  the  assembly,  a plan  for 
a public  loan  office  to  a certain  amount,  from  which  monies 
might  be  lent  on  public  account,  and  on  good  landed  secur- 
ity, to  individuals,  this  was  accordingly  brought  forward 
in  the  House  of  Burgesses,  and  had  it  succeeded,  the  debts 
due  to  Robinson  on  these  loans  would  have  been  transferred 
to  the  public,  & his  deficit  thus  corapleatly  covered,  this 
state  of  things  however  was  not  yet  known : but  mr  Henry 
attacked  the  scheme,  on  other  general  grounds,  in  that  style 
of  bold,  grand  & overwhelming  eloquence,  for  which  he  be- 
came so  justly  celebrated  afterwards,  he  carried  with  him 
all  the  members  of  the  upper  counties.  & left  a minority 
composed  merely  of  the  aristocracy  of  the  country,  from 
this  time  his  popularity  swelled  apace;  & Robinson  dying 
about  4 years  after,  his  deficit  was  brought  to  light,  & dis- 
covered the  true  object  of  the  proposition. 

The  next  great  occasion  on  which  he  signalised  himself 
was  that  which  may  be  considered  as  the  dawn  of  the  revo- 
lution, in  March  1774.  the  British  parliament  had  passed 
resolutions  preparatory  to  the  levying  a revenue  on  the  Col- 
onies by  a Stamp  tax.  the  Virginia  assembly,  at  their  next 
session,  prepared  & sent  to  England  very  elaborate  represen- 
tations addressed  in  separate  forms  to  the  King,  Lords,  & 
Commons,  against  the  right  to  impose  such  taxes,  the 
famous ‘Stamp  act  was  however  passed  in  Jan.  1765.  and  in 
the  session  of  the  Virginia  assembly  of  May  following,  mr 
Henry  introduced  the  celebrated  resolutions  of  that  date, 
these  were  drawn  by  George  Johnston,  a lawyer  of  the 
Northern  neck,  a very  able,  logical  & correct  Speaker,  mr 
Henry  moved,  & Johnston  seconded  these  resolutions  suc- 
cessivelv.  they  were  opposed  by  Randolph.  Bland,  Pendle- 
ton, Nicholas,  Wythe  & all  the  old  members  whose  influ- 
ence in  the  house  had,  till  then,  been  unbroken,  they  did 
it,  not  from  any  question  of  our  rights,  but  on  the  ground 
that  the  same  sentiments  had  been,  at  their  preceding  ses- 
sion, expressed  in  a more  conciliatory  form,  to  which  the 
answers  were  not  yet  received,  but  torrents  of  sublime  elo- 
quence from  mr  Henry,  backed  by  the  solid  reasoning  of 
Johnston,  prevailed,  the  last  however,  & strongest  resolu- 


6 Jefferson  ’$  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 

tion  was  carried  but  by  a single  vote,  the  debate  on  it  was 
most  bloody.  I was  then  but  a student,  & was  listening  at 
the  door  of  the  lobby  (for  as  yet  there  was  no  gallery) 
when  Peyton  Randolph,  after  the  vote,  came  out  of  the 
house,  and  said,  as  he  entered  the  lobby,  “by  God,  I would 
have  given  500.  guineas  for  a single  vote.  ’ ’ for  as  this  would 
have  divided  the  house,  the  vote  of  Robinson,  the  Speaker, 
would  have  rejected  the  resolution,  mr  Henry  left  town 
that  evening,  & the  next  morning  before  the  meeting  of  the 
House,  I saw  Peter  Randolph,  then  of  the  Council,  but  who 
had  formerly  been  clerk  to  the  house,  for  an  hour  or  two  at 
the  Clerk’s  table,  searching  the  old  journals  for  a precedent 
of  a resolution  of  the  house,  erased,  while  he  was  clerk, 
from  the  journals,  by  a subsequent  ordeu  of  the  house, 
whether  he  found  it,  or  not,  I do  not  remember;  but,  when 
the  house  met,  a motion  was  made  & carried  to  erase  that 
resolution : and,  there  being  at  that  day  but  one  printer,  & 
he  entirely  under  the  control  of  the  Governor,  I do  not  know 
that  this  resolution  ever  appeared  in  print.  I write  this 
from  memory:  but  the  impression  made  on  me,  at  the  time, 
was  such  as  to  fix  the  facts  indelibly  in  my  mind. 

I came  into  the  legislature  as  a Burgess  for  the  county  of 
Albermarle  in  the  winter  of  1768.9.  on  the  accession  of  Ld 
Botetourt  to  the  government,  and  about  9 years  after  mr 
Henry  had  entered  on  the  stage  of  public  life,  the  exact 
conformity  of  our  political  opinions  strengthened  our  friend- 
ship: and  indeed  the  old  leaders  of  the  house  being  sub- 
stantially firm,  we  had  not  after  this  any  differences  of  opin- 
ion in  the  H of  Burgesses,  on  matters  of  principle;  tho’ 
sometimes  on  matters  of  form,  we  were  dissolved  by  Ld 
Botetourt  at  our  first  session,  but  all  were  re-elected,  there 
being  no  division  among  us,  occasions  became  very  raie  for 
any  ''display  of  mr  Henry’s  eloquence,  in  ordinary  business 
he  was  a very  inefficient  member,  he  could  not  draw  a bill 
on  the  most  simple  subject  which  would  bear  legal  criticism, 
or  even  the  ordinary  criticism  which  looks  to  correctness  of 
stile  & idea : for  indeed  there  was  no  accuracy  of  idea  in  his 
head,  his  imagination  was  copious,  poetical,  sublime;  but 
vague  also,  he  said  the  strongest  things  in  the  finest  language, 
but  without  logic,  without  arrangement,  desultorily,  this  ap- 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Eenrxj.  7 

peared  eminently  & in  a mortifying  degree  in  the  first  ses- 
sions of  the  first  Congress,  which  met  in  Sep.  1774.  mr 
Henry  & Richard  Henry  Lee  took  at  once  the  lead  in  that 
assembly,  & by  the  high  style  of  their  eloquence,  were,  in  the 
first  days  of  the  session,  looked  up  to  as  primi  inter  pares, 
a Petition  to  the  king,  an  Address  to  the  people  of  Great 
Britain  and  a Memorial  to  the  people  of  British  America 
were  agreed  to  be  drawn.  Lee,  Henry  & others  were  ap- 
pointed for  the  first,  Lee,  Livingston  & Jay  for  the  two  last, 
the  splendor  of  their  debut  occasioned  mr  Henry  to  be  des- 
ignated by  his  committee  to  draw  the  petition  to  the  king, 
with  which  they  were  charged;  and  mr  Lee  was  charged 
with  the  Address  to  the  people  of  England,  the  last  was  first 
reported,  on  reading  it,  every  countenance  fell  & a dead  si- 
lence ensued  for  many  minutes,  at  length  it  was  laid  on  the 
table  for  perusal  & consideration  till  the  next  day,  when  first 
one  member  & then  another  arose,  & paying  some  faint 
compliments  to  the  composition,  observed  that  there  were 
still  certain  considerations,  not  expressed  in  it,  which  should 
properly  find  a place  in  it.  at  length  mr  Livingston  (the  Gov- 
ernor of  New  Jersey)  a member  of  the  Committee  rose  & 
observed  that  a friend  of  his  had  been  sketching  what  he  had 
thought  might  be  proper  for  such  an  address,  from  w hich 
he  thought  some  paragraphs  might  be  advantageously  in- 
troduced into  the  draught  proposed : & he  read  an 

Address  which  mr  Jay  had  prepared  de  beneesse  as  it  were 
there  was  but  one  sentiment  of  admiration,  the  Address  was 
recommitted  for  amendment,  and  mr  Jay’s  draught  reported 
& adopted  with  scarce  an  alteration,  these  facts  were  stated 
to  me  by  mr.  Pendleton  & Col°  Harrison  of  our  own  delega- 
tion, except  that  Col°  Harrison  ascribed  the  draught  to  Govr 
Livingston,  & were  afterwards  confirmed  to  me  by  Govr 
Livingston,  and  I will  presently  mention  an  anecdote  con- 
firmative of  them  from  mr  Jay  & R.  H.  Lee  themselves. 

Mr  Henry’s  draught  of  a petition  to  the  king  was  equally 
unsuccessful,  & was  recommitted  for  amendment,  mr  John 
Dickinson  was  added  to  the  committee,  & a new  draught 
prepared  by  him  was  passed. 

The  occasion  of  my  learning  from  mr  Jay  that  he  was 
the  author  of  the  Address  to  the  people  of  Great  Britain  re- 


8 Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henri/. 

quires  explanation  by  a statement  of  some  preceding  cir- 
cumstances. the  2d  session  of  the  1st  Congress  met  on 
their  own  adjournment  in  May  1775.  Peyton  Randolph 
was  their  President,  in  the  mean  time  Ld  North’s  concila- 
tory  propositions  came  over,  to  be  laid  by  the  Governors  be- 
fore their  legislatures.  Ld  Dunmore  accordingly  called  that 
of  Virginia  to  meet  in  June,  this  obliged  Peyton  Randolph, 
as  Speaker,  to  return,  our  other  old  members  being  at  Con- 
gress, he  pressed  me  to  draw  the  answer  to  Ld  North’s  prop- 
ositions. I accordingly  did  so,  & it  passed  with  a little  soft- 
ening of  some  expressions  for  which  the  times  were  not  yet 
ripe,  & wire-drawing  & weakening  some  others  to  satisfy 
individuals.  I had  been  appointed  to  go  on  to  Congress 
in  place  of  Peyton  Randolph,  & proceeded  immediately, 
charged  with  presenting  this  answer  to  Congress,  as  it  was 
the  first  which  had  been  given,  and  the  tone  of  it  was 
strong,  the  members  were  pleased  with  it,  hoping  it  would 
have  a good  effect  on  the  answers  of  the  other  states,  a Com- 
mittee which  had  been  appointed  to  prepare  a Declaration 
to  be  published  by  Gen1  Washington  on  his  arrival  at  the 
army,  having  reported  one,  it  was  recommitted,  & Dickin- 
son & myself  added  to  the  Committee,  on  the  adjournment 
of  the  house,  happening  to  go  out  with  Govr  Livingston, 
one  of  the  Committee,  I expressed  to  him  my  hope  he 
would  draw  the  Declaration,  he  modestly  excused  himself, 
& expressed  his  wish  that  T would  do  it.  but  urging  him 
with  considerable  importunity,  he  at  length  said  “you  & I, 
sir,  are  but  new  acquaintances;  what  can  have  excited  so 
earnest  a desire  on  your  part  that  I should  be  the  draughts- 
man? why,  Sir.  said  I,  I have  been  informed  you  drew  the 
Address  to  the  people  of  Great  Britain;  I think  it  the  first 
composition  in  the  English  language,  & therefore  am  anx- 
ious this  declaration  should  be  prepared  by  the  same  pen. 
he  replied  that  I might  have  been  misinformed  on  that  sub- 
ject.” a few  days  after,  being  in  conversation  with  R.  H.  Lee 
in  Congress  hall,  a little  before  the  meeting  of  the  house, 
mr  Jay  observing  us,  came  up,  & taking  R.  H.  Lee  by  a 
button  of  the  coat,  said  to  him  pretty  sternly,  “I  understand. 
Sir.  that  you  informed  this  gentleman  that  the  Address  to 
the  people  of  Great  Britain,  presented  to  the  Committee  by 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry.  9 

me,  was  drawn  by  Governor  Livingston  ? ’ ’ the  fact  was 
that  the  Comm6*  having  consisted  of  only  Lee,  Livingston 
who  was  father-in-law  of  Jay,  & Jay  himself,  & Lee  s draught 
having  been  rejected  & Jay’s  approved  so  unequivocally,  his 
suspicions  naturally  fell  on  Lee,  as  author  of  the  report;  & 
rather  as  they  had  daily  much  sparring  in  Congress,  Lee  being 
firm  in  the  revolutionary  measures,  & Jay  hanging  heavily  on 
their  rear.  I immediately  stopped  mr  Jay,  & assured  him 
that  tho’  I had  indeed  been  so  informed,  it  was  not  by  mr 
Lee,  whom  I had  never  heard  utter  a word  on  the  subject. 

I found  mr  Henry  to  be  a silent,  & almost  unmedling  mem- 
ber in  Congress,  on  the  original  opening  of  that  body,  while 
general  grievances  were  the  topic,  he  was  in  his  element,  & 
captivated  all  with  his  bold  & splendid  eloquence,  but  as 
soon  as  they  came  to  specific  matters,  to  sober  reasoning  & 
solid  argumentation,  he  had  the  good  sense  to  perceive  that 
his  declamation,  however  excellent  in  it’s  proper  place,  had 
no  weight  at  all  in  such  an  assembly  as  that,  of  cool-headed, 
reflecting,  judicious  men.  he  ceased  therefore  in  a great 
measure  to  take  any  part  in  the  business,  he  seemed  indeed 
very  tired  of  the  place,  & wonderfully  relieved  when,  by  ap- 
pointment of  the  Virginia  Convention  to  be  Colonel  of  their 
l9t  regiment,  he  was  permitted  to  leave  Congress  about  the 
last  of  July. 

How  he  acquitted  himself  in  his  military  command  will 
be  better  known  from  others,  he  was  relieved  from  this  po- 
sition again  by  being  appointed  Governor,  on  the  first  organi- 
zation of  the  government.  After  my  services  as  his  successor 
in  the  same  office,  my  appointment  to  Congress  in  1783. 
mission  to  Europe  in  84.  & appointment  in  the  new  govern- 
ment iu  89.  kept  us  so  far  apart  that  I had  no  farther  per- 
sonal knolege  of  him. 

Mr  Henry  began  his  career  with  very  little  property,  he 
acted,  as  I have  understood,  as  bar-keeper  in  the  tavern  at 
Hanover  C.  H.  for  some  time,  he  married  very  young;  set- 
tled, I believe,  at  a place  called  the  Roundabout  in  Louisa, 
got  credit  for  some  little  store  of  merchandise,  but  very  soon 
failed,  from  this  he  turned  his  views  to  the  law,  for  the  acqui- 
sition or  practice  of  which  however  he  was  too  lazy,  when- 
ever the  courts  were  closed  for  the  winter  season,  he  would 


10  Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 

make  up  a party  of  poor  hunters  of  his  neighborhood,  would 
go  off  with  them  to  the  piney  woods  of  Fluvanna,  & pass 
weeks  in  hunting  deer,  of  which  he  was  passionately  fond, 
sleeping  under  a tent,  before  a fire,  wearing  the  same  shirt 
the  whole  time,  & covering  all  the  dirt  of  his  dress  with  a 
hunting  shirt,  he  never  undertook  to  draw  pleadings,  if  he 
could  avoid  it,  or  to  manage  that  part  of  a cause,  & very 
unwillingly  engaged  but  as  an  assistant,  to  speak  in  the  cause, 
and  the  fee  was  an  indispensable  preliminary,  observing  to 
the  applicant  that  he  kept  no  accounts,  never  putting  pen  to 
paper,  which  was  true,  his  powers  over  a jury  were  so  irre- 
sistible, that  he  received  great  fees  for  his  services,  & had  the 
reputation  of  being  insatiable  in  money,  after  about  10. 
years  practice  in  the  County  courts,  he  came  to  the  General 
court,  where  however,  being  totally  unqualified  for  any  thing 
but  mere  jury  causes,  he  devoted  himself  to  these,  & chiefly 
to  the  criminal  business,  from  these  poor  devils,  it  was 
always  understood  that  he  squeezed  exhorbitant  fees  of  50. 
100.  & 200.£.  from  this  source  he  made  his  great  profits, 
and  they  were  said  to  be  great,  his  other  business,  exclu- 
sive of  the  criminal,  would  never,  I am  sure,  pay  the  expenses 
of  his  attendance  at  the  court,  he  now  purchased  from  mr  Lo- 
max the  valuable  estate  on  the  waters  of  Smith’s  river,  to  which 
he  afterwards  removed,  the  purchase  was  on  long  credit,  & 
finally  paid  in  depreciated  paper,  not  worth  oak  leaves, 
about  the  close  of  the  war  he  engaged  in  the  Yazoo  specu- 
lation, & bought  up  a great  deal  of  depreciated  paper  at  2/ 
& 2/6  in  the  pound  to  pay  for  it.  at  the  close  of  the  war, 
many  of  us  wished  to  re-open  all  accounts  which  had  been 
paid  in  depreciated  money;  & have  them  settled  by  the 
scale  of  depreciation,  but  on  this  he  frowned  most  indig- 
nantly: & knowing  the  general  indisposition  of  the  legis- 
lature, it  was  considered  hopeless  to  attempt  it  with  such 
an  opponent  at  their  head  as  Henry.  I believe  he  never 
distinguished  himself  so  much  as  on  the  similar  question  of 
British  debts,  in  the  case  of  Jones  & Walker,  he  had  exerted 
a degree  of  industry  in  that  case  totally  foreign  to  his  char- 
acter, & not  only  seemed,  but  had  made  himself  really 
learned  on  the  subject,  another  of  the  great  occasions  on 
which  he  exhibited  examples  of  eloquence,  such  as  probably 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry.  11 

had  never  been  exceeded,  was  on  the  question  of  adopting 
the  new  constitution  in  1788.  to  this  he  was  most  violently 
opposed,  as  is  well  known;  &,  after  it’s  adoption,  he  contin- 
ued hostile  to  it,  expressing,  more  than  any  other  man  in  the 
U.  S.  his  thorough  contempt  & hatred  of  Gen1  Washington, 
from  being  the  most  violent  of  all  anti-federalists  however, 
he  was  brought  over  to  the  new  constitution  by  his  Yazoo 
speculation  before  mentioned,  the  Georgia  legislature  hav- 
ing declared  that  transaction  fraudulent  & void,  the  de- 
preciated paper  which  he  had  bought  up  to  pay  for  the 
Yazoo  purchase  was  likely  to  remain  on  his  hands  worth 
nothing,  but  Hamilton’s  funding  system  came  most  oppor- 
tunely to  his  relief,  & suddenly  raised  his  paper  from  2/6  to 
27/*  the  pound.  Hamilton  became  now  his  idol,  and  aban- 
doning the  republican  advocates  of  the  constitution,  the  fed- 
eral government,  on  federal  principles,  became  his  political 
creed.  Gen1  Washington  flattered  him  by  an  appointment 
to  a mission  to  Spain,  which  however  he  declined;  and  by 
proposing  to  him  the  office  of  Secretary  of  state,  on  the 
most  earnest  solicitation  of  Gen1  Henry  Lee,  who  pledged 
himself  that  Henry  should  not  accept  it.  for  Gen1  Washing- 
ton knew  that  he  was  entirely  unqualified  for  it;  & moreover 
that  his  self-esteem  had  never  suffered  him  to  act  as 
second  to  any  man  on  earth.  I had  this  fact  from  infor- 
mation; but  that  of  the  mission  to  Spain  is  of  my  own 
knolege ; because,  after  my  retiring  from  the  office  of 
Secretary  of  State,  Gen1  Washington  passed  on  the  papers  to 
mr  Henry  through  my  hands,  mr  Henry’s  apostacy,  sunk 
him  to  nothing,  in  the  estimation  of  his  country,  he  lost 
at  once  all  that  influence  which  federalism  had  hoped,  by 
cajoling  him,  to  transfer  with  him  to  itself,,  and  a man  who, 
through  a long  & active  life,  had  been  the  idol  of  his 
country,  beyond  any  one  that  ever  lived ; descended  to  the 
grave  with  less  than  it’s  indifference,  and  verified  the  saying 
of  the  philosopher,  that  no  man  must  be  called  happy  till 
he  is  dead. 


12 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 


Thomas  Jefferson’s  letter,  giving  a history  of  Patrick 
Henry’s  celebrated  Resolution  of  1765  in  the 
Virginia  House  of  Burgesse,  and  criticising 
Judge  Marshall  and  Burke,  the  historian, 

FOR  THEIR  INCORRECT  STATEMENTS  OF  THE 
SAME. 

Monticello  Aug.  14.  14. 

Dear  Sir 

I have  been  laying  under  contribution  my  memory,  my 
private  papers,  the  printed  records,  gazettes  & pamphlets  in 
my  possession,  to  answer  the  enquiries  of  your  letter  of  July 
27.  and  I will  give  you  the  result  as  correctly  as  I can.  I 
kept  no  copy  of  the  paper  I sent  you  on  a former  occasion, 
on  the  same  subject,  nor  do  I retain  an  exact  recollection  of 
it’s  contents;  but  if  in  that  I stated  the  question  on  the  loan 
office  to  have  been  in  1762.  I did  it  with  too  slight  attention 
to  the  date,  altho’  not  to  the  fact.  I have  examined  the 
journals  of  the  House  of  Burgesses  of  1760.  1.  2.  in  my  pos- 
session, and  find  no  trace  of  the  proceeding  in  them,  by  those 
of  1764.  I find  that  the  famous  Address  to  the  King,  and 
Memorials  to  the  Houses  of  Lords  & Commons,  on  the  pro- 
posal of  the  stamp  act,  were  of  that  date;  and  I know  that 
mr  Henry  was  not  a member  of  the  legislature  when  they 
were  passed.  I know  also,  because  I was  present,  that 
Robinson,  (who  died  in  May  1766.)  was  in  the  chair  on  the 
question  of  the  loan  office,  mr  Henry  then  must  have  come 
in  between  these  two  epochs,  and  consequently  in  1765.  of 
this  year  I have  no  journals  to  refresh  my  memory,  the  first 
session  was  in  May,  and  his  first  remarkable  exhibition 
there  was  on  the  motion  for  the  establishment  of  an  office 
for  lending  money  on  mortgages  of  real  property.  I find 
in  Royle’s  Virginia  gazette  of  the  17th  of  that  month,  this 
proposition  for  the  loan  office  brought  forward,  it’s  advan- 
tages detailed,  and  the  plan  explained;  and  it  seems  to  have 
been  done  by  a borrowing  member,  from  the  feeling  with 
which  the  motives  are  expressed;  and  to  have  been  prepar- 
atory to  the  intended  motion,  this  was  probably  made  im- 
mediately after  that  date,  and  certainly  before  the  30th 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry.  13 

which  was  the  date  of  mr  Henry’s  famous  resolutions.  I 
had  been  intimate  with  mr  Henry  from  the  winter  of  1759. 
60.  and  felt  an  interest  in  what  concerned  him,  & I can 
never  forget  a particular  exclamation  of  his  in  the  debate 
which  electrified  his  hearers,  it  had  been  urged  that  from 
certain  unhappy  circumstances  of  the  colony,  men  of  su  - 
stantial  property  had  contracted  debts,  which,  if  exacted 
suddenly,  must  ruin  them  & their  families,  but  with  a little 
indulgence  of  time  might  be  paid  with  ease,  “what  Sir, 
exclaimed  mr  Henry,  in  animadverting  on  this,  “is  it  pro- 
posed then  to  reclaim  the  Spendthrift  from  his  dissipation 
and  extravagance,  by  filling  his  pockets  with  money?’’ 
these  expressions  are  indelibly  impressed  on  my  memory, 
he  laid  open  with  so  much  energy  the  spirit  of  favoritism  on 
which  the  proposition  was  founded,  & the  abuses  to  which 
it  would  lead,  that  it  was  crushed  in  it’s  birth,  abortive 
motions  are  not  always  entered  on  the  journals,  or  rather 
they  are  rarely  entered,  it  is  the  modern,  introduction  of 
Yeas  and  Nays  which  has  given  the  means  of  placing  a rejected 
motion  on  the  journals:  and  it  is  likely  that  the  Speaker, 
who,  as  Treasurer,  was  to  be  the  loan  officer,  and  had  the 
direction  of  the  journals,  would  chuse  to  omit  an  entry  of 
the  motion  in  this  case,  this  accounts  sufficiently  for  the 
absence  of  any  trace  of  the  motion  on  the  journals,  there 
was  no  suspicion  then  (as  far  at  least  as  I knew)  that  Rob- 
inson had  used  the  public  money  in  private  loans  to  his 
friends,  and  that  the  secret  object  of  this  scheme  was  to 
transfer  those  debtors  to  the  public,  and  thus  clear  his 
accounts.  I have  diligently  examined  the  names  of  the 
members  on  the  journals  of  1764.  to  see  if  any  were  still 
living  to  whose  memory  we  might  recur  on  this  subject,  but 
I find  not  a single  one  now  remaining  in  life. 

Of  the  parsons’  cause  I remember  nothing,  remarkable. 
I was  at  school  with  mr  Maury  during  the  years  1758.  & 
1759.  and  often  heard  him  inveigh  against  the  iniquity  of 
the  act  of  1758.  called  the  two-penny  act.  in  1753  when 
that  cause  was  decided  in  Hanover,  I was  a law-student  in 
Williamsburg,  and  remember  only  that  it  was  a subject  of 
much  conversation,  and  of  great  paper-controversy,  in  which 
Camm,  & Col0  Bland  were  the  principal  champions. 


14  Jefferson's  Recollections  of  Patridc  Henry. 

The  disputed  election  in  which  mr  Henry  made  himself 
remarkable  must  have  been  that  of  Dandridge  ft  Littlepage 
in  1764,  of  which  however  I recollect  no  particulars,  altho* 
I was  still  a student  in  Williamsburg,  ft  paid  attention  to 
what  was  passing  in  the  legislature. 

I proceed  now  to  the  Resolutions  of  1765.  the  copies  you 
inclose  me  and  that  inserted  by  judge  Marshal  in  his  hwtory, 
and  copied  verbatim  by  Burke,  are  really  embarassing  by 
their  differences.  1.  that  of  the  4.  resolutions  taken  from 
the  records  of  the  House  is  the  genuine  copy  of  what  they 
passed,  as  amended  by  themselves,  cannot  be  doubted.  2. 
that  the  copy  which  mr  Henry  left  sealed  up  is  a true  copy 
of  these  4 resolutions,  as  reported  by  the  committee,  there  is 
no  reason  to  doubt.  3.  that  judge  Marshal’s  version  of  3. 
of  these  resolutions  (for  he  has  omitted  one  altogether)  is 
from  an  nnauthentie  source,  is  sufficiently  proved  by  their 
great  variation  from  the  record  in  diction,  altho  equivalent 
in  sentiment,  but  what  are  we  to  say  of  mr  Henry’s  5th  and 
of  Marshal’s  two  last,  which  we  may  call  the  6tfc  and  7** 
resolutions?  the  5th  has  clearly  nothing  to  justify  the  de- 
bate and  proceedings  which  one  of  them  produced,  but  the 
6th  is  of  that  character,  and  perfectly  tallies  with  the  idea 
impressed  on  my  mind  of  that  which  was  expunged.  Judge 
Marshall  tells  us  that  two  were  disagreed  to  by  the  house, 
which  may  be  true.  I do  not  indeed  recollect  it,  but  I 
have  no  recollection  to  the  contrary,  my  hypothesis  then 
is  this,  that  the  two  disagreed  to  were  the  5th  and  7** 
the  5th  because  merely  tautologous  of  the  3d  ft  4th  and 
7th  because  leading  to  individual  persecution,  for  which  no 
mind  was  then  prepared:  and  that  the  6*k  was  the  one 
passed  by  the  House,  by  a majority  of  a single  vote,  ft  ex- 
punged from  the  Journals  the  next  day.  I was  standing  at 
the  door  of  communication  between  the  house  and  lobby 
during  the  debate  and  vote,  & well  remember  that  after  the 
numbers  on  the  division  were  told,  and  declared  from  the 
chair,  Peyton  Randolph  (then  Atty  Gen')  came  out  at  the 
door  where  I was  standing,  and  exclaimed  “by  god  I would 
have  given  100.  Guineas  for  a single  vote.’’  for  one  vote 
would  have  divided  the  house,  and  Robinson  was  in  the 
chair  who  he  knew  would  have  negatived  the  resolution. 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry.  15 

mr  Henry  left  town  that  evening,  or  the  next  morning;  and 
Col0  Peter  Randolph,  then  a member  of  the  Council,  came 
to  the  H.  of  Burgesses  about  ten  oclock  of  the  forenoon, 
and  sat  at  the  clerk’s  table  till  the  house-bell  rang,  thumb- 
ing over  the  volumes  of  Journals  to  find  a precedent  of  ex- 
punging a vote  of  the  house,  which  he  said  had  taken  place 
while  he  was  a member,  or  clerk  of  the  house,  I do  not 
recollect  which.  I stood  by  him  at  the  end  of  the  table  a 
considerable  part  of  the  time,  looking  on  as  he  turned  over 
the  leaves;  but  I do  not  recollect  whether  he  found  the 
erasure,  in  the  meantime  some  of  the  timid  members, 
who  had  voted  for  the  strongest  resolution,  had  become 
alarmed,  and  as  soon  as  the  house  met  a motion  was  made 
and  carried  to  expunge  it  from  the  journals,  and  here  I will 
observe  that  Burke’s  statement  of  mr  Henry’s  consenting 
to  withdraw  two  resolutions,  by  way  of  compromise  with 
his  opponents  is  entirely  erroneous.  I suppose  the  original 
journal  was  among  those  destroyed  by  the  British,  or  it’s 
obliterated  face  might  be  appealed  to.  it  is  a pity  this  in- 
vestigation was  not  made  a few  years  sooner,  when  some  of 
the  members  of  the  day  were  still  living.  I think  enquiry 
should  be  made  of  Judge  Marshal  for  the  source  from  which 
he  derived  his  copy  of  the  Resolutions,  this  might  throw 
light  on  the  6th  and  7th  which  I verily  believe  and  espe- 
cially the  6th  to  be  genuine  in  substance.  On  the  whole  I 
suppose  the  4.  resolutions  which  are  on  the  record  were 
past  and  retained  by  the  House ; that  the  6th  is  that  which 
was  passed  by  a single  vote  and  expunged,  and  the  5th  & 
7th  the  two  which  judge  Marshal  says  were  disagreed  to. 
that  mr  Henry’s  c<5py  then  should  not  have  stated  all  this 
is  the  remaining  difficulty,  this  copy  he  probably  sealed  up 
long  after  the  transaction ; for  it  was  long  afterwards  that 
these  resolutions,  instead  of  the  Address  & Memorials  of 
the  preceding  year,  were  looked  back  to  as  the  commence- 
ment of  the  legislative  opposition,  his  own  judgment  may, 
at  a later  date,  have  approved  of  the  rejection  of  the  6th 
and  7th  altho’  not  of  the  5th  and  he  may  have  left  & sealed 
up  a copy,  in  his  own  handwriting,  as  approved  by  his  ulti- 
mate judgment,  this,  to  be  sure,  is  conjecture,  and  may 
rightfully  be  rejected  by  any  one  to  whom  a more  plausible 


16  Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 

solution, may  occur:  and  there  I must  leave  it.  the  address 
of  1764.  was  drawn  by  Peyton  Randolph,  who  drew  the 
Memorial  to  the  Lords  I do  not  recollect:  but  mr  Wythe 
wrote  that  to  the  Commons,  it  was  done  with  so  much  free- 
dom that,  as  he  has  told  me  himself,  his  colleagues  of  the 
Committee  shrunk  from  it  as  wearing  the  aspect  of  treason, 
and  smoothed  its  features  to  it's  present  form,  he  was  in- 
deed one  of  the  very  few  (for  I can  barely  speak  of  them 
m the  plural  number)  of  either  character,  who,  from  the 
commencement  of  the  contest,  hung  our  connection  with 
Britain  on, its  true  hook,  that  of  a common  king,  his  un- 
assuming character  however,  made  him  appear  as  a follower, 
while  his  sound  judgment  kept  him  in  a line  with  the  freest 
spirit,  by  these  resolutions  mr  Henry  took  the  lead  out  of 
the  hands  of  those  who  had  heretofore  guided  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  House,  that  is  to  say,  of  Pendleton,  Wythe, 
land,  Randolph,  Nicholas,  these  were  honest  and  able 
men,  had  begun  the  opposition  on  the  same  grounds,  but 
with  a moderation  more  adapted  to  their  age  and  experience 
subsequent  events  favored  the  bolder  spirits  of  Henry  the 
Lees,  Pages,  Mason  etc.  with  whom  I went  in  all  points 
sensible  however  of  the  importance  of  unanimity  among  our 
constituents,  altho’  we  often  wished  to  have  gone  faster,  we 
slackened  our  pace  that  our  less  ardent  colleagues  might 
eeJ>.,UP  with  us:  and  they,  on  their  part,  differing  nothing 
from  us  in  principle,  quickened  their  gait  somewhat  beyond 
that  which  their  prudence  might  of  .itself;  have  advised,  and 
thus  consolidated  the  phalanx  which  breasted  the  power  of 
Britain,  by  this  harmony  of  the  bqld  with  the  cautious,  we 
advanced  with  our  constituents  in  undivided  mass,  and  with 
fewer  examples  of  separation  than  perhaps  existed  in  any 
other  part  of  the  Union. 

I do  not  remember  the  topics  of  mr  Henry’s  argument: 
but  those  of  his  opposers  were  that  the  same  sentiments  had 
been  expressed  in  the  Address  and  Memorials  of  the  preced- 
ing session,  to  which  an  answer  was  expected  and  not  yet 
received.  I well  remember  the  cry  ol  treason,  the  pause  of 
mr  Henry  at  the  name  of  George  the  IIId  and  the  presence 
of  mind  with  which  he  closed  his  sentence,  and  baffled  the 
charge  vociferated.  I do  not  think  he  took  the  position  in 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry.  17 

the  middle  of  the  floor  which  you  mention,  on  the  contrary 
I think,  I recollect  him  standing  in  the  very  place  which  he 
continued  afterwards  habitually  to  occupy  in  the  house. 

The  censure  of  mr.  E.  Randolph  on  mr  Henry  in  the  case 
of  Philips  was  without  foundation.  I remember  the  case, 
and  took  my  paxt  in  it.  Philips  was  a mere  robber,  who 
availing  himself  of  the  troubles  of  the  times,  collected  a 
banditti,  retired  to  the  Dismal  swamp,  and  .from  thence 
sallied  forth,  plundering  and  maltreating  the  neighboring  in- 
habitants, and  covering  himself,  without  authority,  under  the 
name  of  a British  subject,  mr  Henry,  then  Governor,  commu- 
nicated the  case  to  me.  we  both  thought  the  best  proceed- 
ing would  be  by  bill  of  attainer,  unless  he  delivered  himself 
up  for  trial  within  a given  time.  Philips  was  afterwards 
taken ; and  mr  Randolph  being  Attorney  Gen1  and  [appre- 
hending he  would  plead  that  he  was  a British  subject,  taken 
in  arms,  in  support  of  his  lawful  sovereign,  and  as  a prisoner 
of  war  entitled  to  the  protection  of  the  law  of  nations,  he 
thought  the  safest  proceeding  would  be  to  indict  him  at  Com- 
mon law  as  a felon  & robber,  against  this  I believe  Philips 
urged  the  same  plea;  bid  was  Qverruled  and  found  guilty. 

I recollect  nothing  pf  a doubt  on  the  re-eligibility  of  mr 
Henry  to  the  government,  when  his  term  expired  in  1779. 
nor  can  I conceive  on  what  grpund  such  a doubt  could  have 
been  entertained;  unless  perhaps  that  his  first  election  in 
June  1776.  having  been  before  we  were  nationally  declared 
independent,  some  might  suppose  it  should  not  be  reckoned 
as  one  of  the  three  constitutional  elections, 

Of  the  projects  for  appointing  a Dictator  there  are  said 
to  have  been  two.  I know  nothing  of  either  but  by  hear- 
say. the  lrt  was  ip  Williapasburg  in  Dec.  1776.  the  assembly 
had,  the  month  before,  appointed  mr  Wythe,  mr  Pendleton, 
George  Mason,  Thomas  L.  Lee  and  myself  to  revise  the 
whole  body  of  laws,  & adapt  them  to  our  new  form  of 
government,  I left  the  House  early  in  December  to  prepare 
to  join  the  Committee  at  Fredericksburg,  the  place  of  our 
first  meeting,  what  passed  therefore  in  the  House  in  Decem- 
ber, I know  not,  and  have  not  the  journals  of  that  session 
to  look  into,  the  2d  proposition  was  ip  June  81.  at  the 
Staunton  session  of  the  legislature,  no  trace  of  this  last 


18  Jefferson's  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 

motion  is  entered  on  the  journals  of  that  date,  which  I have 
examined,  this  is  a further  proof  that  the  silence  of  jour- 
nals is  no  evidence  against  the  fact  of  an  abortive  motion, 
among  the  names  of  the  members  found  on  the  journal  of 
the  Staunton  session,  are  John  Taylor  or  Caroline,  Gen1 
Andrew  Moore,  and  Gen1  Edward  Steevens  of  Culpeper  now 
living,  it  would  be  well  to  ask  information  from  each  of 
them,  that  their  errors  of  memory,  or  of  feeling  may  be 
corrected  by  collation. 

You  ask  if  I would  have  any  objection  to  be  quoted  as  to 
the  fact  of  rescinding  the  last  of  mr  Henry's  resolutions, 
none  at  all  as  to  that  fact,  or  it’s  having  been  passed  by  a 
majority  of  one  vote  only;  the  scene  being  as  present  to  my 
mind  as  that  in  which  I am  now  writing,  but  I do  not  affirm, 
altho  ’ I believe  it  was  the  6th  resolution. 

It  is  truly  unfortunate  that  those  engaged  in  public  affairs 
so  rarely  make  notes  of  transactions  passing  within  their 
knolege.  hence  history  becomes  fable  instead  of  fact,  the 
great  outlines  may  be  true,  but  the  incidents  and  colouring 
are  according  to  the  faith  or  fancy  of  the  writer,  had  judge 
Marshal  taken  half  of  your  pains  in  sifting  & scrutinizing 
facts,  he  would  not  have  given  to  the  world,  as  true  his- 
tory, a false  copy  of  a record  under  his  eye.  Burke  again 
has  copied  him,  and  being  a second  writer  on  the  spot, 
doubles  the  credit  of  the  copy,  when  writers  are  so  indif- 
ferent as  to  the  correctness  of  facts  the  verification  of  which 
lies  at  their  elbow,  by  what  measure  shall  we  estimate  their 
relation  of  things  distant,  or  of  those  given  to  us  thro’  the 
obliquities  of  their  own  vision?  our  records  it  is  true,  in 
the  case  under  contemplation,  were  destroyed  by  the  malice 
and  Vandalism  of  the  British  military,  perhaps  of  their 
government  under  whose  orders  they  committed  so  much 
useless  mischief,  but  printed  copies  remained  as  your 
examination  has  proved.  those  which  were  apocryphal 
then  ought  not  to  have  been  hazarded  without  examination, 
should  you  be  able  to  ascertain  the  genuineness  of  the  6th 
and  7th  resolutions,  I would  ask  a line  of  information,  to 
rectify  or  to  confirm  my  own  impressions  respecting  them, 
ever  affectionately  yours. 


Th:  Jefferson. 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 


19 


Jefferson’s  Remarks  on  the  Case  of  Josiah  Philips. 

Monticello  May  12.  15. 

Dear  Sir 

Among  some  queries  you  addressed  to  me  some  time 
ago,  was  one  on  the  case  of  Josiah  Philips,  which  hap- 
pened early  in  the  revolution,  not  aware  that  the  propriety 
of  the  proceeding  in  that  case  had  been  questioned  and  rep- 
rehended, my  answer  was  general  on  that  query,  an  appli- 
cation from  another  quarter  having  informed  me  of  the 
doubts  which  have  been  expressed  on  it,  I have  bestowed 
more  reflection  on  it,  and  I send  you  an  extract  from  my 
answer,  by  way  of  supplement  to  what  I said  to  you  on  the 
subject.  I was  then  thoroughly  persuaded  of  the  correct- 
ness of  the  proceeding,  and  am  more  and  more  convinced 
by  reflection,  if  I am  in  error,  it  is  an  error  of  principle. 
I know  of  no  substitute  for  the  process  of  outlawry,  so  fa- 
miliar to  our  law,  or  to  it’s  kindred  process  by  act  of  at- 
tainder, duly  applied,  which  could  have  reached  the  case  of 
Josiah  Philips,  one  of  these,  or  absolute  impunity  seems 
the  only  alternative,  ever  and  affectionately 

Your  friend  & servt. 

Th:  Jefferson 


William  Wirt  esq. 


Thomas  Jefferson’s  letter,  imparting  further  information 
on  Patrick  Henry’s  famous  Resolution  of  1765, 
making  comments  on  John  Dickinson’s  Farmer's 

LETTERS,  AND  GIVING  ANECDOTES  OF  FAMOUS 
MEN  OF  THE  REVOLUTION. 


Monticello  Aug.  5.  15. 

Dear  Sir 

Your  favor  of  July  24.  came  to  hand  on  the  31rt  and  I 
will  proceed  to  answer  your  enquiries,  in  the  order  they  are 
presented,  as  far  as  I am  able. 

I have  no  doubt  that  the  5th  of  the  Rhode  island  resolu- 
tions, of  which  you  have  sent  me  a copy,  is  exactly  the  one 
erased  from  our  journals,  the  mr  Lees,  and  especially  Rich- 
ard Henry,  who  was  industrious,  had  a close  correspond- 
ence, I know,  with  the  two  Adamses,  & probably  with  others 
in  that  and  the  other  Eastern  states:  and  I think  it  was  said 
at  the  time  that  copies  were  sent  off  by  them  to  the  North- 
ward, the  very  evening  of  the  day  on  which  they  were 
passed.  I can  readily  enough  believe  these  resolutions  were 
written  by  mr  Henry  himself,  they  bear  the  stamp  of  his 
mind,  strong  without  precision,  that  they  were  written 
by  Johnson  who  seconded  them,  was  only  the  rumor  of  the 
day,  and  very  possibly  unfounded,  but  how  Edmund  Ran- 
dolph should  have  said  they  were  written  by  William  Flem- 
ing, and  mr  Henry  should  have  written  that  he  shewed  them 


to  William  Fleming,  is  to  me  incomprehensible,  there  was 
no  William  Fleming  then,  but  the  judge  now  living,  whom 
nobody  will  ever  suspect  of  taking  the  lead  in  rebellion.  I 
am  certain  he  was  not  then  a member,  and  I think  was 
never  a member  until  the  revolution  had  made  some 
progress,  of  this  however  he  will  inform  us  with  candor  & 
truth,  his  eldest  brother  John  Fleming  was  a member,  and 
a great  speaker  in  debate,  to  him  they  may  have  been  shewn, 
yet  I should  not  have  expected  this,  because  he  was  ex- 
tremely attached  to  Robinson,  Peyton  Randolph  etc.  and 
at  their  beck,  and  had  no  independence  or  boldness  of 
mind,  however  he  was  attentive  to  his  own  popularity, 
might  have  been  overruled  by  views  to  that,  and,  with  a 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry.  21 

correction  of  the  Christian  name,  mr  Henry’s  note  is  suffi- 
cient authority  to  suppose  he  took  the  popular  side  on  that 
occasion.  I remember  nothing  to  the  contrary.  The  op- 
posers  of  the  resolutions  were  Robinson,  Peyton  Randolph, 
Pendleton,  Wythe,  Bland  and  all  the  cyphers  of  the  Aris- 
tocracy. no  longer  possessing  the  journals,  I cannot  recol- 
lect nominally  the  others,  they  opposed  them  on  the 
ground  that  the  same  principles  had  been  expressed  in  the 
Petition  etc.  of  the  preceding  year,  to  which  an  answer,  not 
yet  received,  was  daily  expected,  that  they  were  therein  ex- 
pressed in  more  conciliatory  terms,  and  therefore  more 
likely  to  have  good  effect,  the  resolutions  were  carried 
chiefly  by  the  vote  of  the  middle  and  upper  country,  to 
state  the  differences  between  the  classes  of  society,  and  the 
lines  of  demarcation  which  separated  them  would  be  diffi- 
cult. the  law,  you  know,  admitted  none,  except  as  to  the 
twelve  counsellors  yet  in  a country  insulated  from  the  Eu- 
ropean world,  insulated  from  its  sister  colonies  with  whom 
there  was  scarcely  any  intercourse,  little  visited  by  foreign- 
ers, & having  little  matter  to  act  upon  within  itself,  certain 
families  had  risen  to  splendor  by  wealth  and  the  preserva- 
tion of  it  from  generation  to  generation  under  the  law  of 
entails;  some  had  produced  a series  of  men  of  talents; 
families  in  general  had  remained  stationary  on  the  grounds 
of  their  forefathers  for  there  was  no  emigration  to  the 
Westward  in  those  days,  the  wild  Irish  who  had  gotten 
possession  of  the  valley  between  the  blue  ridge  and  North 
mountain,  forming  a barrier  over  which  none  ventured  to 
leap,  and  would  still  less  venture  to  settle  among,  in  such 
a state  of  things,  scarcely  admitting  any  change  of  station, 
society  would  settle  itself  down  into  several  strata,  separated 
by  no  marked  lines,  but  a shading  off  imperceptibly,  from 
top  to  bottom,  nothing  disturbing  the  order  of  their  repose, 
there  were  then,  Aristocrats,  halfbreeds,  pretenders,  a solid 
independent  yeomanry,  looking  askance  at  those  above,  yet 
not  venturing  to  justle  them ; and  last,  and  lowest  a feculum 
of  beings  called  Overseers,  the  most  abject,  degraded  and 
unprincipled  race,  always  cap  in  hand  to  the  Dons  who  em- 
ployed them,  and  furnishing  materials  for  the  exercise  of 
their  pride,  insolence  & spirit  of  domination.  Your  charac- 


22  Jefferson's  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry: 

ters  are  inimitably  & justly  drawn.  I am  not  certain  if 
more  might  not  be  said  of  Col®  Richard  Bland,  he  was 
the  most  learned  & logical  man  of  those  who  took  promi- 
nent lead  in  public  affairs,  profound  in  Constitutional  lore, 
a most  ungraceful  speaker  (as  were  Peyton  Randolph  & 
Robinson  in  a remarkable  degree)  he  wrote  the  first 
pamphlet  on  the  nature  of  the  connection  with  Or.  Britain, 
which  had  any  pretension  to  accuracy  of  view  on  that  sub- 
ject; but  it  was  a singular  one.  he  would  set  out  on  sound 
principles,  pursue  them  logically  till  he  found  them  leading 
to  the  precipice  which  we  had  to  leap,  start  back  alarmed, 
then  resume  his  ground,  go  over  it  in  another  direction,  be 
led  again  by  the  correctness  of  his  reasoning  to  the  spme 
place,  and  again  back  about,  and  try  other  processes  to 
reconcile  right  and  wrong,  but  finally  left  his  reader  & 
himself  bewildered  between  the  steady  index  of  the  com- 
pass in  their  hand,  and  the  phantasm  to  which  it  seemed 
to  point,  still  there  was  more  sound  matter  in  his  pam- 
phlet than  in  the  celebrated  Farmer’s  letters,  which  were 
really  but  an  ignis  fatuus,  misleading  us  from  true 
principles. 

Landon  Carter’s  measure  you  may  take  from  the  1* 
volume  of  the  American  Philosophical  transactions,  where 
he  has  one  or  more  long  papers  on  the  weavil  and  perhaps 
other  subjects,  his  speeches,  like  his  writings  were  dull, 
vapid,  verbose,  egoistical,  smooth  as  the  lullaby  of  the 
nurse,  and  commanding,  like  that,  the  repose  only  of  the 
hearer. 

You  ask  if  you  may  quote  me  1.  for  the  loan  office,  2. 
Phillips’s  case,  and  3.  the  addresses  prepared  for  Congress 
by  Henry  and  Lee — for  the  two  first  certainly,  because  with- 
in my  own  knolege,  especially  citing  the  record  in  Phillips’s 
case  which  of  itself  refutes  the  diatribes  published  on  that 
subject : but  not  for  the  addresses,  because  I was  not  present, 
nor  know  any  thing  relative  to  them  but  by  hearsay  from 
others,  my  first  and  principal  information  on  that  subject 
I know  I had  from  Ben.  Harrison,  on  his  return  from  the 
first  session  of  the  old  Congress,  mr  Pendleton  also,  I am 
tolerably  certain,  mentioned  it  to  me:  but  the  transaction  is 
too  distant,  and  my  memory  too  indistinct  to  hazard  as  with 


23 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 

precision,  even  what  I think  I heard  from  them,  in  this 
decay  of  memory  mr  Edmund  Randolph  must  have  suffered 
at  a much  earlier  period  of  life  than  myself.  I cannot 
otherwise  account  for  his  saying  to  you  that  Rob.  Carter 
Nicholas  came  into  the  legislature  only  on  the  death  of 
Peyton  Randolph,  which  was  in  1776.  seven  years  before 
that  period  I went  first  into  the  legislature  myself,  to  wit  in 
1769  and  mr  Nicholas  was  then  a member,  and  I think  not 
a new  one.  I remember  it  from  an  impressive  circumstance, 
it  was  the  first  assembly  which  met  Lord  Botetourt,  being 
called  on  his  arrival — on  receiving  the  Governor’s  speech, 
it  was  usual  to  move  resolutions,  as  heads  for  an  Address, 
mr  Pendleton  asked  me  to  draw  the  resolutions,  which  I did. 
they  were  accepted  by  the  house,  and  Pendleton,  Nicholas, 
myself  and  some  others  were  appointed  a Committee  to  pre- 
pare the  Address,  the  Committee  desired  me  to  do  it;  but 
when  presented,  it  was  thought  to  pursue  too  strictly  the 
diction  of  the  resolutions,  and  that  their  subjects  were  not 
sufficiently  amplified,  mr  Nicholas  chiefly  objected  to  it, 
and  was  desired  by  the  committee  to  draw  one  more  at 
large  which  he  did,  with  amplification  enough,  and  it  was 
accepted — being  a young  man,  as  well  as  a young  member, 
it  made  on  me  an  impression  proportioned  to  the  sensibility 
of  that  time  of  life — on  a similar  occasion  some  years  after 
I had  reason  to  retain  a remembrance  of  his  presence  while 
Peyton  Randolph  was  still  living,  on  the  receipt  of  Ld 
North’s  propositions,  in  May  or  June  1775.  Lord  Dun- 
more  called  the  assembly.  Peyton  Randolph,  then  Presi- 
dent of  Congress,  and  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Burgesses, 
left  the  former  body  and  came  home  to  hold  the  assem- 
bly, leaving  in  Congress  the  other  delegates,  who  were  the 
antient  leaders  of  our  house,  he  therefore  asked  me  to  pre- 
pare the  answer  to  Ld  North’s  proposition,  which  I did. 
mr  Nicholas,  whose  mind  had  as  yet  acquired  no  tone  for 
that  contest,  combated  the  answer  from  Alpha  to  Omega, 
and  succeeded  in  diluting  it  in  one  or  two  small  instances, 
it  was  firmly  supported  however  in  committee  of  the  whole 
by  Peyton  Randolph,  who  had  brought  with  him  the  spirit 
of  the  body  over  which  he  had  presided,  and  it  was  carried 
with  very  little  alteration  by  strong  majorities.  I was  the 


24  Jefferson's  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry, 

bearer  of  it  myself  to  Congress,  by  whom,  as  it  was  the  first 
answer  given  to  those  propositions  by  any  legislature,  it  was 
received  with  peculiar  satisfaction.  I am  sure  that  from 
1769,  if  not  earlier,  to  1775.  you  will  find  mr  Nicholas’s 
name  constantly  in  the  journals,  for  he  was  an  active  mem- 
ber. I think  he  represented  James  city  county,  whether, 
on  the  death  of  Peyton  Randolph  he  succeeded  him  for 
'Williamsburg,  I do  not  know,  if  he  did,  it  may  account  for 
mr  Randolph’s  error. 

You  ask  some  account  of  mr  Henry’s  mind,  information  & 
manners  in  59-60  when  I first  became  acquainted  with  him. 
we  met  at  Nat.  Dandridge’s  in  Hanover,  about  the  Christ- 
mas of  that  winter,  and  passed  perhaps  a fortnight  together 
at  the  revelries  of  the  neighborhood  & season,  his  manners 
had  something  of  the  coarseness  of  the  society  he  had  fre- 
quented: his  passion  was  fiddling,  dancing  & pleasantry,  he 
excelled  in  the  last,  and  it  attached  every  one  to  him.  the 
occasion  perhaps,  as  much  as  his  idle  disposition,  prevented 
his  engaging  in  any  conversation  which  might  give  the 
measure  either  of  his  mind  or  information,  opportunity 
was  not  wanting:  because  mr  John  Campbell  was  there, 
who  had  married  mrs  Spotswood,  the  sister  of  Col0  Dan- 
dridge.  he  was  a man  of  science,  & often  introduced 
conversations  on  scientific  subjects.  mr.  Henry  had  a 
little  before  broke  up  his  store,  or  rather  it  had  broken 
him  up,  and  within  three  months  after  he  came  to  Wil- 
liamsburg for  his  license,  and  told  me,  I think,  he  had 
read  law  not  more  than  six  weeks.  I have  by  this  time 
probably  tired  you  with  these  old  histories,  and  shall  there- 
fore only  add  the  assurance  of  my  great  friendship  & 
respect. 

Th:  Jefferson 


Jefferson's  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 


25 


Thomas  Jefferson’s  letter,  correcting  errors  in  the 

MANUSCRIPT  OF  WlLLIAM  WlRT’S  LlFE  OF 

Patrick  Henry. 

Monticei.lo  Sep.  4.  16. 

Dear  Sir 

I have  read  with  great  delight  the  portion  of  the  history 
of  mr  Henry  which  you  have  been  so  kind  as  to  favor  me 
with,  and  which  is  now  returned : and  I can  say  from  my 
own  knolege  of  the  cotemporary  characters  introduced  into 
the  canvas,  that  you  have  given  them  quite  as  much  lustre 
as  themselves  would  have  asked,  the  exactness  too  of  your 
details  has  in  several  instances  corrected  the  errors  in  my 
own  recollections  where  they  had  begun  to  faulter.  in  re- 
sult, I scarcely  find  any  thing  needing  revisal.  yet  to  shew 
you  that  T have  scrupulously  sought  occasions  of  animad- 
version, I will  particularize  the  following  passages  which  I 
noted  as  I read  them. 

pa.  11.  line  17.  to  bottom.  I think  this  whole  passage 
had  better  be  moderated,  that  mr  Henry  read  Livy  thro’ 
once  >a  year  is  a known  impossibility  with  those  who  knew 
him.  he  may  have  read  him  once,  and  some  general  history 
of  Greece;  but  certainly  not  twice,  a first  reading  of  a 
book  he  could  accomplish  sometimes,  and  on  some  subjects; 
but  never  a second,  he  knew  well  the  geography  of  his 
own  country,  but  certainly  never  made  any  other  his  study, 
so  as  to  our  ancient  charters,  he  had  probably  read  those  in 
Stith’s  history,  but  no  man  ever  more  undervalued  char- 
tered titles  than  himself,  he  drew  all  natural  rights  from 
a purer  source,  the  feelings  of  his  own  breast,  he  never, 
in  conversation  or  debate,  mentioned  a hero,  a worthy,  or  a 
fact  in  Greek  or  Roman  history,  but  so  vaguely  & loosely 
as  to  leave  room  to  back  out.  if  he  found  he  had  blundered, 
the  study  and  learning  ascribed  to  him  in  this  passage  would 
be  inconsistent  with  the  excellent  and  just  picture  given  of 
his  indolence  thro’  the  rest  of  the  work. 

pa.  27.  1.  12.  if  the  professor  of  the  college  was  the  writer 
of  the  pamphlet,  his  name  was  Graham,  not  Greeme.  he 
was  my  master,  & intimately  known  to  me. 


26  Jefferson's  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 

pa.  33.  1.  4.  enquire  further  into  the  faet  alleged  that 
Henry  was  counsel  for  Littlepage.  I am  much  persuaded 
he  was  counsel  for  Dandridge.  there  was  great  personal 
antipathy  between  him  and  Littlepage,  and  the  closest  in- 
timacy with  Dandridge,  who  was  his  near  neighbor,  in 
whose  house  he  was  at  home,  & as  one  of  the  family,  who 
was  his  earliest  and  greatest  admirer  and  patron,  and  whose 
daughter  became  afterwards  his  second  wife,  it  was  in  his 
house  that  during  a course  of  Christmas  festivities,  I first 
became  acquainted  with  mr  Henry,  this,  it  is  true,  is  but 
presumptive  evidence,  and  may  be  overruled  by  direct 
proof,  but  I am  confident  he  could  never  have  undertaken 
any  case  against  Dandridge,  considering  the  union  of  their 
bosoms,  it  would  have  been  a great  crime. 

pa.  37.  1.  13.  & pa.  55.  1.  6.  from  bottom,  there  was  but 
one  clear  & sound  bottom  on  which  the  separation  of  the 
chair  and  the  treasury  was  decided,  the  legislature  made 
all  their  levies  of  money  payable  into  the  hands  of  their 
speaker,  over  whom  they  had  controul.  the  only  hold  the 
Govr  had  on  him  was  a negative  on  his  appointment  as 
Speaker  at  every  new  election,  which,  amounted  conse- 
quently to  a negative  on  him  as  treasurer  and  disposed  him 
so  far  to  be  obsequious  to  the  Governor. 

pa.  57.  1.  11.  strike  out  Starke,  he  was  nobody;  a mere 
lounger  at  the  bar,  without  business,  without  knolege,  and 
without  principle.  John  Blair  is  omitted  here,  one  of  the 
purest  men  then  living,  a well  read  lawyer,  logical  reasoner, 
& only  kept  down  by  his  insuperable  diffidence. 

These  are  the  only  passages  which  I thought  might  be 
worthy  of  further  enquiry ; and  are  so  unimportant  as 
scarcely  to  be  worth  a defacement  of  the  MS.  by  alteration. 
— I shall  set  out  for  Bedford  on  the  8th  return  a fort- 
night after  to  pass  a week  here,  and  shall  then  go  back  to 
Bedford  to  remain  till  the  last  of  October,  this  knolege  of 
my  movements  will  enable  you  to  give  a proper  direction  to 
any  further  communications  you  may  wish  to  make,  accept 
the  assurance  of  my  constant  friendship  & respect. 

Th:  Jefferson 


Wiu.iam  Wirt,  Esq 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 


27 


Thomas  Jefferson’s  letter  to  William  Wirt,  making 

IMPORTANT  SUGGESTIONS  AND  CORRECTIONS  IN  THE  TEXT 

of  Wirt’s  life  of  Patrick  Henry,  and  giving 
his  views  of  Henry’s  military  life.  Also 

COMPLIMENTS  WlRT  ON  THE  CHARACTER 
OF  HIS  BIOGRAPHY. 


Poplar  Forest  Sep.  29,  16. 


Dear  Sir 

I found,  on  my  arrival  here  the  2d  parcel  of  your  sheets, 
which  I have  read  with  the  same  avidity  and  pleasure  as  the 
former,  this  proves  they  will  experience  no  delay  in  my 
hands,  and  that  I consider  them  as  worthy  every  thing  I can 
do  for  them,  they  need  indeed  but  little,  or  rather  I should 
say  nothing.  I have  however  hazarded  some  suggestions 
on  a paper  inclosed,  when  I read  the  former  sheets,  I did 
not  consider  the  article  of  style  as  within  my  jurisdiction, 
however  since  you  ask  observations  on  that,  and  suggest 
doubts  entertained  by  yourself  on  a particular  quality  of  it, 

I will  candidly  say  that  I think  some  passages  of  the  former 
sheets  too  flowery  for  the  sober  taste  of  history,  it  will 
please  young  readers  in  its  present  form,  but  to  the  older  it 
would  give  more  pleasure  and  confidence  to  have  some  exu- 
berances lightly  pruned.  I say  lightly;  because  your  style 
is  naturally  rich  and  captivating,  and  would  suffer  if  sub- 
mitted to  the  rasp  of  a rude  hand,  a few  excrescenses  may 
be  rubbed  off  by  a delicate  touch : but  better  too  little  than 
too  much  correction,  in  the  2d  parcel  of  sheets,  altho’  read 
with  an  eye  to  your  request,  I have  found  nothing  of  this 
kind.  I thus  comply  with  your  desire;  but  on  the  condition 
originally  prescribed,  that  you  shall  consider  my  observations 
as  mere  suggestions,  meant  to  recall  the  subject  to  a revi- 
sion by  yourself,  and  that  no  change  be  made  in  consequence 
of  them  but  on  the  confirmed  dictates  of  your  own  judg- 
ment. I have  no  amour-propre  which  will  suffer  by  having 
hazarded  a false  criticism,  on  the  contrary  I should  regret 
were  the  genuine  character  of  your  composition  to  be  adul- 
terated by  any  foreign  ingredient.  I return  to  Albemarle 
within  a week,  shall  stay  there  10  days,  come  back  and  pass 


28  Jefferson's  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 

here  October  and  part  of  November.  I salute  you  affection- 
ately. 

Th.  Jefferson 

Mr.  Wirt 

page  92.  There  is  one  circumstance  in  my  letter  here  quoted 
which  may  not  perhaps  be  exactly  correct,  to  wit,  whether 
Gov1  Livingston  produced  Jay’s  draught  in  the  House  of 
Congress,  or  in  the  Committee  to  which  Lee’s  draught  was 
recommitted  ? the  latter  seems  most  agreeable  to  usuage ; and 
lest  I should  have  erred  in  this  particular,  I have  so  modi- 
fied the  quotation  as  to  adapt  it  to  either  fact,  this  anecdote 
will  probably  draw  on  me  the  wrath  of  the  family  & friends 
of  mr  Lee,  who  are  exceedingly  jealous  of  the  fame  of 
their  eminent  relation,  it  will  only  add  however  a vouche 
a feu  the  more  to  the  battery  of  obloquy  which,  reared  in 
94,  has  been  incessantly  directed  on  me,  but  without  chang- 
ing my  course  a single  point,  mr  Jay’s  rude  address  to 
mr  Lee  in  my  presence,  which  I immediately  diverted  from 
him  would  have  been  a mortifying  addition  to  the  anecdote; 
but  this  does  not  belong  to  history. 

pa.  92.  Cap*  Foy  was  private  Secretary  to  Ld  Dunmore, 
lived  with  him  in  the  palace,  was  believed  to  be  the  chief 
instigator  of  all  his  violences,  and  being  very  ill  tempered, 
haughty  & presumptuous,  was  very  obnoxious. 

pa.  110.  Was  not  William  Nelson  still  living?  if  he  was, 
he  was  the  President.  I thought  he  retired  to  Hanover  and 
died  there  some  time  after  these  transactions,  his  brother 
Thomas,  the  Secretary,  succeeded  as  President  only  on  his 
death,  whenever  that  took  place. 

pa.  128.  that  mr  Henry  wanted  personal  courage  was  the 
very  general  belief  of  all  his  acquaintances,  strengthened 
perhaps  by  inference  from  the  fact  that  his  brother  William, 
and  half  brother  Syme  were  notorious  cowards,  but  I 
know  nothing  of  the  facts  on  which  this  opinion  of  mr 
Henry  was  founded;  nor  do  I recollect  having  heard  except 
a single  one  related  to  me  by  Govr  Page,  then  a member  of 
the  Committee  of  safety,  this  was  that  while  mr  Henry’s 
corps  was  encamped  near  Williamsburg,  a nocturnal  alarm 
took  place,  on  a false  report  that  the  enemy  had  landed,  I 


Jefferson's  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry.  29 

believe,  at  Burwell’s  ferry:  and  were  on  their  march  to  the 
city,  mr  Henry  was  so  panic  struck  as  to  be  incapable  of 
giving  an  order,  and  the  next  in  command  was  obliged  td 
array  the  men,  and  take  the  necessary  measures  for  defence 
the  belief  therefore  that  mr  Henry  was  no  souldier,  which  pre- 
vailed with  the  Committee  of  safety,  and  also  with  our  own 
members  of  Congress,  might  justify  them  in  not  confiding  to 
him  the  military  destinies  of  the  state.  the  same  doubt 
occasioned  a refusal  of  command  sollicited  by  Col0  Byrd, 
one  of  our  highest  citizens  in  rank  & wealth,  who  had  been 
Col0  of  a regiment  in  the  war  of  1755.  it  is  true  indeed 
that  mr  Henry  and  mr  Pendleton  each,  thought  they  saw 
in  the  character  of  the  other  something  which  they  con- 
demned; of  which  those  who  knew  both  more  intimately 
than  either  did  the  other,  acquitted  both,  and  this  distrust 
they  never  dissembled  in  their  private  conversations,  they 
were  always  polite  to  each  other,  but  nothing  affectionate, 
possibly  some  of  this  grudge  might  have  incorporated  itself 
with  mr  Pendleton’s  judgments  on  the  military  merit  of 
mr  Henry:  but  since  this  trait  in  mr  Henry’s  charac- 
ter has  at  least  been  believed,  and  no  fact  has  been  produced 
to  prove  it  ill-founded  (for  his  march  to  Williamsburg 
proved  civil  courage  only,  but  not  military,  as  he  knew  there 
was  no  enemy  to  meet  him)  why  bring  it  into  view  at  all? 
mr  Henry’s  transcendent  eminence  as  an  Orator  & States- 
man, and  especially  his  unquestioned  primacy  in  bringing 
on  the  revolution  give  him  a mass  of  fame  sufficient  to  sat- 
isfy any  ambition,  to  claim  for  him  questionable  merits 
detracts  more  than  it  adds  in  the  estimate  of  his  character. 
Demosthenes  like  Henry  was  unquestioned  as  an  Orator  & 
Statesman,  but  doubted  as  a soldier,  but  is  it  not  found  that, 
on  the  former  ground  alone  the  Graecian  is  placed  as  high 
as  mortal  man  can  be?  the  danger  is  that  if  this  point  be 
urged  it  may  produce  contradiction  and  proof,  which  would 
die  away  if  not  excited.  I was  as  intimate,  and  more  cor- 
dial with  mr  Henry  in  those  days,  than  perhaps  any  other 
of  those  with  whom  he  acted  on  the  higher  stage  of  affairs; 
and  my  settled  opinion  was  this.  When  mr  Henry  found 
that  the  business  of  Congress  had  got  into  a regular  train 
of  action,  in  which  he  could  no  longer  maintain  his  emi- 


30  Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 

nenee,  it  became  his  wish  to  withdraw;  and  the  military 
command  in  Virginia,  which  was  conferred  on  him  while 
absent  at  Philadelphia,  appeared  to  him  as  a god-send  to 
justify  his  retirement  from  Congress.  I accompanied  him 
to  Virginia  on  his  return,  which  gave  me  some  opportunity 
of  estimating  his  views  on  the  occasion.  I did  not  observe 
that  they  were  directed  to  military  fame,  or  that  he  thought 
his  appointment  had  put  him  into  the  line  of  splendid  util- 
ity. indeed  I doubted  from  his  conversation,  whether  he 
meant  to  accept  it.  add  to  this  that  his  mind  was  not 
formed  for  subordination,  even  to  a Committee  of  safety,  or 
a Convention,  he  became  anxious  therefore  to  withdraw 
from  his  military  station,  after  it  had  served  the  purpose  of 
procuring  him  a decent  retreat  from  his  Congressional  one; 
and  the  question  about  rank  furnished  him  plausible  cause, 
of  this  he  availed  himself,  and  thus  got  back  to  that  ground 
on  which  nature  had  formed  him  to  command,  he  returned 
to  our  civil  councils  which  were  his  natural  element,  and 
in  which  his  eminence  at  once  placed  him  at  their  head, 
this  I did  then,  and  do  still  verily  believe  was  the  train  of 
views  on  which  mr  Heniy  acted.  I think  that  he  felt  him- 
self at  home  in  civil  affairs  and  soaring  above  all:  but  not 
at  all  so  in  military  things:  that  he  never  had  a wish  or  a 
thought  of  pm-suing  that  career,  in  which  there  was  already 
a crowd  of  Generals,  who  must  forever  be  above  him,  and 
that  his  apparent  resentment  covered  really  a secret  wish, 
mr  Henry  was  not  a man  who,  on  a nice  punctilio  of 
honor,  would  have  withdrawn  from  a post  of  his  choice  in 
a cause  in  which  he  was  so  ardent. 

If  this  be  a true  view  of  the  question  between  mr  Pen- 
dleton & mr  Henry,  it  would  seem  that  all  difficulty  may  be 
avoided  by  striking  out  the  whole  of  what  relates  to  this 
incident,  and  leaving  it  blank  to  bury  the  question  as  to 
both  in  oblivion.  While  this  would  leave  in  quiet  the 
admirers  of  both  parties,  it  would  remove  from  the  page  of 
history  an  example  of  sacrificing  so  holy  a cause,  and  at  so 
early  a period  of  it,  to  personal  passions  and  interests: 
which  it  is  distressing,  in  such  a case,  to  suppose  but  on 
notorious  fact. 

pa.  137.  Can  this  preamble  be  correctly  copied  from  the 


Jefferson’g  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry.  31 

printed  one?  it  is  not  grammar,  my  original  draught  did 
not  run  so,  as  may  be  seen  if  examined. 

pa.  144.  I think  that  Congress  only  authorized  Gen1 
Washington  to  extend  military  law  (which  always  prevails 
within  a camp  & to  gunshot  distance  beyond  the  line  of  een- 
tinels)  to  the  distance  of  twenty  miles  around  his  camp,  buf 
I am  not  sure  of  this,  and  it  ought  to  be  enquired  into;  for 
it  is  not  useful  that  examples  should  be  strained  to  furnish 
precedents  for  so  execrable  a measure  as  the  establishment 
of  a dictator. 

Of  the  anecdote  of  popular  violence  on  the  flag  of  the 
General  assembly  in  1769.  I never  before  heard,  nor  can 
I believe  it  true.  I was  in  Williamsburg  during  the  4 courts 
of  Apr.  June,  Oct.  & Dec.  of  that  and  of  some  years  preceed- 
ing  & subsequent,  and  also  during  the  autumn  session  of  the 
legislature  of  the  same  year,  and  do  not  remember  to  have 
heard  a word  of  such  an  act  of  insurgency  of  our  people; 
and  had  I ever  heard  it,  I could  not  have  forgotten  so 
unique  a fact,  it  would  have  been  the  first  instance  of 
actual  riot,  in  our  country  below  the  mountains  since  Bacon’s 
rebellion,  the  previous  assemblages  of  people  to  ask  their 
stamp  masters  to  resign  were  entirely  peaceable,  in  1769 
the  people  were  yet  entirely  submissive  to  the  laws,  and- 
would  have  been  unquestionably  punished  for  any  daring 
breach  of  them. 


William  Wirt  s letter  to  Thomas  Jefferson  in  refer- 
ence TO  MANUSCRIPT  SENT  HIM  OF  HIS  LIFE  OF 
Patrick  Henry. 


~ Richmond.  Oct.  2.  1816. 

Dear  Sir 

I sent  you,  about  three  or  four  weeks  ago,  a second,  and 
by  the  last  mail,  a third  parcel  of  my  biographical  M.S. — 
Not  having  heard  of  their  arrival  and  having  had  frequent 
proofs  of  the  irregularity  of  the  mails,  I am  fearful  that  the 
packets  have  miscarried.  I beg  you  to  be  assured  that  it  is 
not  with  the  most  distant  intention  of  hurrying  you  in  the 
kind  and  obliging  office  you  have  undertaken  for  me,  that 
I drop  this  note:  but  simply  and  sincerely  to  ascertain 
whether  the  parcels  have  arrived— because  if  they  have  not, 
I will  have  them  immediately  recopied  and  forwarded,  and 
shall  thus  save  time  which  w.d  be  otherwise  lost,  on  the  sup- 
position that  they  have  miscarried. — So  far  indeed  from 
hurrying  you  I feel  myself  much  obliged  by  every  hour  of 
the  time  which  you  are  so  good  as  to  devote  to  this  little 
business  and  had  much  rather  enlarge  than  contract  your 
opportunity  for  remark. 

Respectfully  and  affectionately  yours 

„ _ Wm.  Wirt 

Ihomas  Jefferson  esq. 


Jefferson  ’$  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 


33 


Thomas  Jefferson’s  Letter  in  reference  to  the  case  of 

one  Philips,  a tory  in  the  Revolution,  and  justly 
criticising  Edmund  Randolph  and  Patrick  Henry 
for  their  incorrect  version  of  the  affair. 

Monticello  Oct.  8.  16 

Dear  Sir  ^ .... 

I received  your  3d  parcel  of  sheets  just  as  I was  leaving 
Poplar  Forest,  and  have  read  them  with  the  usual  pleasure, 
they  relate  however  to  the  period  of  time  exactly,  during 
which  I was  absent  in  Europe,  consequently  I am  without 
knolege  of  the  facts  they  state,  indeed  they  are  mostly 
new  history  to  me.  on  the  subject  of  style  they  are  not 
liable  to  the  doubts  I hazarded  on  the  1’*  parcel,  unless  a 
short  passage  in  page  198;  should  be  thought  too  poetical, 
indeed  as  I read  the  2d  & 3d  parcels  with  attentions  to  style 
and  found  them  not  subject  to  the  observations  I made  on 
the  first,  (which  were  from  memory  only,  & after  I had 
parted  with  them)  I have  suspected  that  revisal  might  have 
corrected  my  opinion  on  the  1st  of  this  however  you  w’ill 
judge,  one  only  fact  in  the  last  sheets  was  within  my 
knolege,  that  relating  to  Philips,  and  on  this  I had  formerly 
given  you  explanations.  I am  very  glad  indeed  that  you 
have  examined  the  records,  and  established  truth  in  this 
case,  how  mr  Randolph  could  indulge  himself  in  a state- 
ment of  facts,  so  solemnly  made,  the  falsehood  of  every 
article  of  which  had  been  known  to  himself  particularly; 
and  how  mr  Henry  could  be  silent  under  such  a perversion 
of  facts  known  to  himself,  agreed  on  at  a consultation  with 
members  whom  he  invited  to  the  palace  to  advise  with  on 
the  occasion,  and  done  at  his  request  according  to  what 
wras  concluded,  is  perfectly  unaccountable,  not  that  I con- 
sider mr  Randolph  as  mistating  intentionally,  or  desiring 
to  boulster  an  argument  at  the  expence  of  an  absent  person : 
for  there  were  no  uncordial  dispositions  between  him  & 
myself;  and  as  little  do  I impute  to  mr  Henry  any  willing- 
ness to  leave  on  my  shoulders  a charge  which  he  could  so 
easily  have  disproved,  the  fact  must  have  been  that  they 
were  both  out  of  their  heads  on  that  occasion : still  not  the 


34  Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry, 

Jess  injuriously  to  me,  whom  mr  Randolph  might  as  well 
have  named,  as  the  journals  shewed  I was  the  first  named 
of  the  Committee,  would  it  be  out  of  place  for  you  to  refer 
by  a note  to  the  countenance  which  judge  Tucker  has 
given  to  this  misrepresentation,  by  making  strictures  on  it, 
in  his  Blackstone,  as  if  it  were  true  ? it  is  such  a calumny  on 
our  revolutionary  government  as  should  be  eradicated  from 
history,  and  especially  from  that  of  this  state,  which  justly 
prides  itself  on  having  gone  thro’  the  revolution  without  a 
single  example  of  capital  punishment  connected  with  that, 
ever  affectionately  yours 

„ Th  : Jefferson 

Mr.  Wirt 


Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 


35 


Thomas  Jefferson’s  letter  to  William  Wirt,  advising 

HIM  TO  PUBLISH  HIS  LIFE  OF  PATRICK  HenRV,  INTI- 
MATING THAT  THE  MAGAZINES  WILL  CRITICISE  IT, 

AND  COMPLIMENTING  HIM  ON  THE  ORIGINAL 
STYLE  OF  ITS  COMPOSITION  AND  PRAISING 
THE  WORK  GENERALLY. 

~ ~ Poplar  Forest  Nov.  12.  16. 

Dear  Sir 

Yours  of  Oct.  23.  was  received  here  on  the  31rt  with 
the  last  sheets  of  your  work,  they  found  me  engaged  in  a 
business  which  could  not  be  postponed  and  have  therefore 
been  detained  longer  than  I wished,  on  the  subject  of  our 
antient  aristocracy,  I believe  I have  said  nothing  which 
all  who  knew  them  will  not  confirm,  and  which  their 
reasonable  descendants  may  not  learn  from  every  quarter, 
it  was  the  effect  of  the  large  accumulations  of  property 
under  the  law  of  entails.  the  suppression  of  entails 
reduced  the  spirit  of  the  rich  while  the  increased  influ- 
ence given  by  the  new  government  to  the  people,  raised 
theirs,  and  brought  things  to  their  present  level  from 
a condition  which  the  present  generation,  who  have  not 
seen  it  ean  scarcely  believe  or  conceive.  I believe  I 
have  named  none  particularly : that  would  be  wrong, 
you  ask  if  I think  your  work  would  be  the  better . of  re- 
trenchment ? by  no  means ; I have  seen  nothing  in  it 
which  could  be  retrenched  but  to  disadvantage : and  again 
whether,  as  a friend,  I would  advise  it’s  publication?  on 
that  question  I have  no  hesitation,  on  your  own  account  as 
well  as  that  of  the  public,  to  the  latter  it  will  be  valuable 
and  honorable  to  yourself,  you  must  expect  to  be  criticised, 
and  by  a former  letter  I see  you  expect  it.  by  the  Quarterly 
reviewers  you  will  be  hacked  and  hewed  by  the  tomahawk 
and  scalping  knife,  those  of  Edinburgh,  with  the  same 
anti- American  prejudices,  but  sometimes  considering  us  as 
allies  against  their  administration,  will  do  it  more  decently 
— they  will  assume  as  a model  for  biography  the  familiar 
manner  of  Plutarch,  or  scanty  matter  of  Nepos,  and  try 
you  perhaps  by  these  tests,  but  they  can  only  prove  that 


36  Jefferson’s  Recollections  of  Patrick  Henry. 

your  style  is  different  from  theirs,  not  that  it  is  not  good. 
I have  always  very  much  despised  the  artificial  canons  of 
criticism,  when  I have  read  a work  in  prose  or  poetry,  or 
seen  a painting  a statute  etc.  I have  only  asked  myself 
whether  it  gives  me  pleasure,  whether  it  is  animating,  in- 
teresting, attaching?  if  it  is,  it  is  good  for  these  reasons, 
on  these  grounds  you  will  be  safe,  those  who  take  up  your 
book  will  find  they  cannot  lay  it  down,  and  this  will  be  it’s 
best  criticism.  You  have  certainly  practised  rigorously 
the  precept  of  “de  mortuis  nil  nisi  bonum.”  this  presents 
a very  difficult  question,  whether  one  only,  or  both  sides  of 
the  medal  should  be  presented,  it  constitutes  perhaps  the 
distinction  between  panegyric  and  history,  on  this  opinions 
are  so  much  divided,  and  perhaps  may  be  so  on  this  feature 
of  your  work,  on  the  whole  however  you  have  nothing  to 
fear,  at  least  if  my  views  are  not  very  different  from  the 
common,  and  no  one  will  see  it ’s  appearance  with  more 
pleasure  than  myself,  as  no  one  can  with  more  truth  give  you 
assurances  of  great  respect  & affectionate  attachment. 

Th:  Jefferson 


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